2019: RC Toulon 37 London Irish 17

Toulon made it three wins from three in Pool 2 as try braces from Baptiste Serin and Ramiro Moyano, plus a Masivesi Dakuwaqa score, saw them brush aside Irish at Stade Félix Mayol.

Serin scythed through the visitors’ defence with less than two minutes played, with Anthony Belleau converting and then adding a penalty on 18 minutes to give Toulon a 10-0 lead.

However, Steve Mafi drove over from close range for Irish’s first try on 23 minutes and Steve Myler’s extras reduced the deficit to three points.

Serin crossed again after half an hour, though, to extend Toulon’s lead, before a Myler penalty kept Irish well in contention heading into half-time.

However, Moyano’s and Dakuwaqa’s efforts – which came in a six-minute blitz prior to the hour mark, with the second converted by Belleau - saw Toulon pull clear.

Toulon’s Theo Dachary and Irish’s TJ Ioane were then both sent off in quick succession following separate infringements, before the TMO validated Tom Fowlie’s score for Irish on 76 minutes.

But Toulon had the final say as Moyano dotted down for a second time in the final minute, Belleau’s conversion extending their winning margin to 20 points.

2019: London Irish 20 RC Toulon 26

Toulon completed a Pool 2 double over Irish at the Madejski Stadium, although this entertaining game was a much closer affair.

Baptiste Serin and Masivesi Dakuwaqa again scored tries as the three-time European champions were made to work hard for their victory.

Irish’s Albert Tuisue crossed for the game’s first try on 17 minutes, after Anthony Belleau had slotted two early penalties for Toulon.

Paddy Jackson, who had opened the scoring from the tee on two minutes, converted Irish’s score, but another quickfire pair of Belleau penalties nudged Toulon into a two-point lead by 25 minutes.

Irish’s Ruan Botha was sin-binned on 34 minutes and Toulon took advantage four minutes later as Dakuwaqa went over. Belleau’s conversion piled on the agony for the hosts, who then had Terrence Hepetema yellow-carded moments before the half-time whistle.

Jackson’s second penalty drew Irish closer two minutes into the second half, but they again conceded once they were back up to 15 men, Serin dotting down with an hour played and Louis Carbonel adding the extras.

Toulon’s Stephane Mbarag was sin-binned with eight minutes to go and Barney Maddison crashed over from close range to hand Irish a lifeline, but Jackson’s conversion proved to be the final points of the game.

With RC Toulon and London Irish set to go head-to-head in the EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-finals on May 8, we look back at their two previous meetings in the competition. The Gallagher Premiership side were beaten on both occasions in the 2019/20 pool stage.